Under the cynical guise of humanitarian concern, Denver and Mayor Michael Hancock are bidding for millions in federal aid (tax dollars) to house and feed and educate hundreds of children who entered this country illegally, banking on just this sort of largesse. These are not sex-trade victims. These are people who are contributing to the anarchy caused by a Democratic administration that has no respect for the rule of law and expects you and me to pay for it. Courting Hispanic votes in the process seems to be still another outrageous misuse of American generosity and tolerance.

That grant applications have been processed without notifying City Council members is just more evidence that this is a callous political game, using children as tools, and the public as fools.

Well said! Your editorial about housing undocumented children was compassionate and intelligent. And it didn’t even mention the desperation — or hope — which must drive such dangerous journeys.

Throughout history, children have been vulnerable to adult lunacy; this is our chance to slightly change that pattern. It’s past the point of arguing about why they’re here. Volunteers in El Paso say the immigrants simply want food, a shower, a bed. Beyond that are the needs they can’t articulate: family, safety, kindness.

While Congress dithers, we should step forward with the welcome mat. And those who feel threatened by innocent victims might ask themselves why they’re so insecure.

Kathy Coffey, Denver

This letter was published in the July 23 edition.

For information on how to send a letter to the editor, click here. Follow eLetters on Twitter to receive updates about new letters to the editor when they’re posted.

That grant applications have been processed without notifying City Council members is just more evidence that this is a callous political game, using children as tools, and the public as fools.

Little brown kids as the new blue pill notwithstanding, I know quite a few folks who work near or in or associated with the Mayor’s office. Instead of being a callous political game, it’s most likely standard lack of attention to detail and established protocol from the Mayor’s office. Is Mr Accetta a political opponent or opportunist, perhaps?

Best,

D

peterpi

Actually, Accetta sounds like an idiot.
And the Denver Post prints his rants a lot.

alan9074

They don’t belong here. Deport them, along with all the other illegals.

Dano2

Best,

D

alan9074

No, think of them not belonging in this country. By the way, I could care less about abortion.

Dano2

You better figure it out in your mind, because our policies are contributing to this issue, and there will be more in the future with climate, trade, political issues.

Many countries in the world are dealing with this, and their people aren’t so heartless and cruel. These countries may have a smaller population that gains pleasure from others’ misfortune.

Best,

D

alan9074

Our policies are not forcing these people to have 4 to 7 kids, they’re choosing to do so. It’s not my problem, it’s not my country’s problem. We have homeless veterans, and millions of unemployed people in America. We need to take care of our own right now. DEPORT.

Dano2

You are amazingly and titanically underinformed about this issue.

Yet here you are advocating policy. Arguments from ignorance: rarely, if ever, compelling.

Best,

D

alan9074

I have brought far more clarity to this subject than you. Shall I continue? Ok, how about this, the Labor Participation Rate as given by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, it measures how many people of working age are, and are not, working. It’s at a record low. Why? Sure, congress has allowed American manufacturers to offshore millions of good-paying industrial jobs, but there are also MILLIONS of illegals in this country that are taking jobs (for less money) that Americans desperately need to stay financially afloat. Enough of this nonsense. DEPORT.

A denier is someone who denies something.
The German Bad Boys of the 1930s have nothing to do with it.
Nice way to smear your opponent without having a decent reply.

guesswhdrews

Don’t play coy.

Journalists and newspaper columnists including George Monbiot and Ellen Goodman,among others, have described climate change denial as a form of denialism. Several commentators, including Goodman, have also compared climate change denial with Holocaust denial,though others, such as conservative radio talk show host Dennis Prager, have decried those comparisons as inappropriate and trivializing Holocaust denial. Institute of Economic Affairs member Richard D. North notes that outright denial by climate scientists of the major points of scientific consensus is rare, though scientists are known to dispute certain points. He says, “It is deeply pejorative to call someone a ‘climate change denier’. This is because it is a phrase designedly reminiscent of the idea of Holocaust Denial,

Justclimbit

The term “denier” (as in one who denies) predates the Holocaust by about 450 years. You and Mr. North protest too much, methinks.

BTW, I think you may have forgotten to attribute your cut and paste bit to Wikipedia.

guesswhdrews

Why, was a submitting a term paper?

Justclimbit

On second thought, go with the plagiarism. At least that follows English conventions.

Steve R

Hilarious! been away from this board for 6 months and still have the same clowns blaming bush, talking climate change, war on women and every other topic from the liberal play book. I don’t blame you though because when you sample stories and read message boards from other credible news sources, you realize that the majority of Americans (including independents, conservatives and liberals alike) are sick and tired of the liberal blame game and this administration. I don’t blame you for not wanting to deal with the cold hard reality that your messiah’s approval numbers are in the toilet and that both conservatives and liberals a like have lost all confidence in your man. At the end of the day it has gotten so bad that even hard right people like myself can’t wait for the day that Hillary takes office as at least that signals the end of the current failure in chief and his complete and total lack of leadership. Oh yeah and please seal the borders and send all of the illegals back to where they came…we have enough problems to fix!

guesswhdrews

When the only tool you have is a hammer, you see every problem as a nail.

In politics with the Democrats when every thing is going wrong, you blame it on Bush or racism.

holyreality

I am with you on these points, it used to be a roofing contractor, landscaper, and skilled trades were all white Americans.

These days when vo-tech is a scorned alternative to the University and manual labor is farmed out to exploitable labor that formula will not flush.

Many of these illegal border jumpers who work illegal jobs(both civil offenses, not criminal) have been paying taxes, rent, bills and paying for goods and services just as much as you or myself. I don’t want to reward their jumping the line any more than you. But I must recognize that they have become American and a path to citizenship must be implemented. This is not amnesty, but a process they must take to get a green card.

In the meantime, the immigration process must be simplified so that capricious, officious ICE autocrats cannot inflict oppressive requirements upon immigrants who are waiting their turn in line.

Then maybe help living conditions in these scatholes so the residents do not need to flee and reduce the numbers who choose the illegal path.

Steve R

Wouldn’t waste to much time worrying about Dbag…dude never has been able to put real coherent thoughts together.

guesswhdrews

“Many countries in the world are dealing with this, and their people aren’t so heartless and cruel.”

Which countries are doing this?

I posted this a day ago. Are you making up stuff again, DTJ? Awww, you are so cute when you get caught doing that.

Steve R

You can blame our policies, climate change or whatever you would like, makes no difference because your view is losing and will lose in the end. Fortunately the majority of the country including both parties see this problem for what it is and have begun the process of mass deportations!

holyreality

So? Why do these refugees fail the belong test?

Their parents grew up in a banana republic installed by the US government to ensure sustained profits for United Fruit. That government was destabilized further when cartel bosses seized control when the CIA ran drugs from their already oppressed country.
Now these cartels rule a pirate nation that leaves bleak prospects to these kids who need our help because the good ole ‘freedom’ exporting USA put them in a scathole we created.

guesswhdrews

Democrats think of them as undocumented Democratic voters.

OrangeFree

Land of the Free indeed.

I don’t seem to remember the Statue of Liberty’s poem reading “Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free. Unless you’re from south of the border of course, then GTFO.”

How else are you going to replace a party’s voters who are dying off from old age?

Best,

D

guesswhdrews

With the new generation of libertarian voters.

peterpi

True libertarians distrust the Republicans as much as the Democrats.
True libertarians are dismissive of the GOP’s anti-drug, anti-gay crusade.

guesswhdrews

True. So perhaps we will have a third party. Now which of the other two will disappear (I think we are a two party country)?

alan9074

That was written around 1890. Circumstances have changed as well as the economy. There are too many people and not enough jobs. DEPORT.

guesswhdrews

Perhaps we should roll back the safety net to what it was in 1903 when the poem was made part of the exhibit.

holyreality

Said the descendant of an illegal alien.

constructionworker

Send them home to their parents.

Henry Brubaker

When you can hate helping a child when you have the resources and ability to do so, it’s probably time to…

thor

…vote for a new administration that is able to deal with a crisis.

peterpi

Non sequitur.

What Would Romney Do? LOL

Dano2

Heckuva job, Petey! (Pi-ey?)

Best,

D

thor

Good question. First, he was a governor and he already had experience with crisis management. Second, I doubt Romney would have let things get so out of hand because he, though an ideologue, has never shown that his ideology stopped him from compromise and trying what works, even if it goes against his ideology.

tomfromthenews

Let’s be realistic. This is a humanitarian crisis regardless of who is in the White House. You think Romney would send those children back into harm’s way? In an election year? He would be facing the same problems Obama is facing and the same complications about how to handle it. That is how any responsible administration would “deal with [the] crisis”.

guesswhdrews

Being realistic he wouldn’t have told 800,000 kids that they would not be deported and thereby inadvertently causing the crisis to begin with.

Romney would have the same problem on his hands.
The resources to secure the border do not exist and never have.

guesswhdrews

Not true. Obama fudged the numbers. See the chart below.

Total deportations in 2011, the latest year for which complete numbers are available, numbered 715,495 – the lowest level since 1973. The highest number of deportations on record was in 2000, under the Clinton administration, when 1,864,343 aliens were deported.

I should have been more specific. We do not have the resources to waste on such an endeavor. We have many more pressing issues.

guesswhdrews

I think a lot of people would disagree with you regarding more pressing issues.

peterpi

Don’t argue with guesswhdrews: In his opinion, anything any other president has done badly, Obama has done worse. Period. No exceptions.

guesswhdrews

Whine, whine, whine. Just out of curiosity what did Bush do that you think was better than what Obama did (I give Obama credit for drone attacks and getting bin Laden).

peterpi

And your numbers are more believable, why?
Anything any other president has done badly, Obama has done worse, right?
Is that your operating theory?

guesswhdrews

Peter–try to actually pay attention before you start whining. As you can see, Clinton did the best job of deporting illegals. Obama has done the worst job in 20 years. But his followers keep telling us he’s deported more people than any president has in history. He hasn’t. And these numbers show what actually has happened.

guesswhdrews

He probably wouldn’t do what Governor O’Malley of Maryland does where he talks compassion to the press and then tells the Obama Administration not to put any of the illegal kids in his state. And what party is O’Malley in? LOL

Pilgrim

From someone who has gone out of his way to help impoverished people this seems flipant. Do you only help if there is a Christian message attached?

thor

Its an honest appraisal of the current inept, highly ideological administration. It has nothing to do with my willingness to put my money and time where my mouth is. And to only feed, clothe and educate needy people but not give them eternal hope is short sighted.

peterpi

So, you’re a “pray to eat” type of guy.
“Here, child, let me help you to a second serving of that meatloaf. BTW, have you been saved? Have you heard of our Lord and Savior?”
Did it ever occur to you that children from Central America were likely to be born to, and raised by, Roman Catholic parents? Last time I checked, most people consider Roman Catholics to be Christian.
I’d rather a child get some food and shelter while this situation is hassled out. If some of them are granted immigrant status, and eventually placed for adoption, I’ll let the adoptive parents decide on the child’s religious education — if any.

thor

Once again you show how uninformed you are. No wonder you are offended by the term “uninformed voter.”

Pilgrim

But you’d still feed, clothe and educate even if you knew they’d reject your spiritual teachings year after year after year?

thor

Of course. How could a ministry of compassion do otherwise?

Pilgrim

A true organization of compassion should have no religious strings attached otherwise it serves a selfish purpose.

thor

Not true at all. Not at all.

Pilgrim

Then why not just give and help others without trying to change their beliefs? Does it it earn you upgrade miles on the big ride up to heaven?

peterpi

Preach it!
Amen!

thor

No, but it puts them on the plane. If both of us showed up down there, they would check out your attitude and ask “why are you here?” They would check out my story and ask “Why didn’t you tell me sooner?”

Pilgrim

There are many people around the world who live their lives like saints giving everything they have to help those less fortunate. Would your god sentence them to eternal damnation because they worship a “false deity”? I hope god’s not that vengeful.

peterpi

You can’t be serious.
If someone has led a moral life. If someone has tried to do right by others, and they die without ever hearing of Jesus, I seriously doubt a loving, merciful, just God would send them or you “down below”, because you, thor, aided them and didn’t try to convert them.
There are roughly 7.5 billion people on the planet. Roughly 2 billion are Christian. 5.5 billion are automatically doomed to Hell? I don’t think so.

You have done, and do, plenty of charitable work. That work, in and of itself, ought to be satisfying, ought to be its own reward.

guesswhdrews

Nasty.

Pilgrim

I’m sorry if I hurt your feelings. I was just asking why Christian organizations of “compassion” need something in return for all of their efforts. Peterpi asked the same question. Why can’t you just do the work of Jesus and be happy with it even if people reject the spiritual message? My guess is that most of you have a selfish motivation.

guesswhdrews

Didn’t hurt my feelings but certainly reveals some things about yourself you might want to try to keep under wraps. “Does it it earn you upgrade miles on the big ride up to heaven?” That is simply nasty.

Steve R

It could also be that if people who need help have some type of guiding principle in their life, it can help them deal with the difficulties they face. Many Anti-Christian people like yourself don’t understand that concept, so therefore you think it’s asking for something in return as opposed to helping those people even more.

peterpi

Yes, true.
Offer the food or housing or job assistance, etc.
If they ask why you do this, tell them.
If they don’t, be satisfied you followed Jesus’ teachings.

thor

Exactly. That’s why Jesus told us to be salt and light.

peterpi

You missed my point.
“Offer the food or housing or job assistance, etc.” — without proselytizing.

peterpi

[deleted. duplicate.]

irisman

Mr Accetta has taken a cynical view of the offer to house some of these children. Somehow I think Denver can survive taking in about 50 of them. This is not a permanent solution, but it may take time to get them back to their home countries if we don’t wish to endanger their lives.

Ed Pearlstein

. Compassion should trump legalism.
.

guesswhdrews

No it shouldn’t. Government is a legal entity, not a compassionate one. Churches and charities should supply the compassion.

alan9074

Would you like to be more like India? Would you like to be more like China? Would you like to be more like Mexico? Would you like to be more like Pakistan? Would you like to be more like every other overpopulated country in the world? Well, just keep allowing allowing these people to come into the country, and the the numbers play out. We’re on track to adding over 100 million people in the next 30 years. That equates to doubling the population of every major U.S. city in that time. Do you really want that? I’m glad I’ll be close to dead at that time, and I won’t have any children to apologize to for ruining their country.

kelcy

Mr. Accetta seems to have missed the point that with regards to the children crossing on their own the feds are following the law. The law passed by republicans and signed by former pres. bush. You guys get your panties all tied in knots yelling that pres. obama is not following the law but then get your panties all tied in knots yelling when he is following the law. You really need to settle on one view or the other and then stop yelling in opposition to yourselves. if you don’t like the law then at least start out by stating you have written to both of your senators and your congressperson demanding they rescind the law. Actually easy to do. It can be a one pager and take just a day or so to run through both houses and get signed. There are procedures in place to do that. It has been done before. Have you written those letters yet?

peterpi

The view that the Republicans have settled on is: Anything Obama does is bad.

guesswhdrews

And the view the Democrats have settled on is that anything that goes wrong is Bush’s fault.

guesswhdrews

What year was it passed? Oh, 2008. Bush did sign it and it was bi-partisan while the Democrats controlled the congress. As for rescinding the law, it’s already done in the House version of the bill to fund the services we are providing to the kids that have come into America. Do you think Reid will let the Senate vote on that bill?

Fed Up

Children are being used and abused by this open borders administration. How is it humanitarian to continue to allow these kids to make the treacherous trip through Mexico to get here? And how does anyone know where they are ending up? Taxpayers can only pay so much. Our education and welfare system is already squeezed. Just look at the debacle with offering drivers licenses for illegals here in Colorado. There are millions and millions of children in far worse danger than those in Central America. And for those who have no problem with letting all these people stay, I hope you are opening up your wallet and your home. Make sure to accept the children with the gang tattoos as well. After all, they are just kids.

Steve R

We have enough problems in our country and don’t have the resources to handle the rest of the worlds. We need to begin mass deportations immediately, which fortunately both democrats and republicans agree with.

Guidelines: The Post welcomes letters up to 150 words on topics of general interest. Letters must include full name, home address, day and evening phone numbers, and may be edited for length, grammar and accuracy.